Dresden Quilter

Design Wall Monday

2012-01-23T13:13:00.000-05:00

I finally finished up my sashing this weekend. Sashing and borders are my least favourite parts of quilting, along with basting. I am hoping to have this off my Design Wall this week and turned into a flimsy. I find it hard to quilt sometimes when the creative juices are flowing and I think of new things I want to do. Setting goals and making commitments have helped me stay on track. See what other are doing for Design Wall Monday at Patchwork Times.

Friday Night Sew-In

2012-01-21T17:54:00.001-05:00

My Friday Night Sew-In became a knit in, and then a very early Saturday sew-in. I had some shows to catch up in, so I turned my heal last night. I am not sure how well it will turn out since the pattern I am using explained how many extra stitches to put on your needle at the beginning if you needed the sock a bigger size, but did not have any sizing throughout the pattern. I am ready now to start on the gusset. I love learning new words. Today I got my sashing finished for my Christmas Rose. I find sashing to be tedious and boring. I have a couple of quilts I am working that will be using sashing, so my plan is to grin and bear it.

Fabric Friday Night Sew-In

2012-01-20T11:20:00.002-05:00

With the last of my Christmas money, I bought myself a layer cake of Ruby. I love the bright colours and the sweet prints. I have something in mind for it.

I am also going to be participating in the Friday Night Sew-In. I am either going to be working on the borders for my Christmas Rose quilt or start cutting out the fabric for my guild quilts or maybe both.

Last night in the midst of everything else going on, I started pulling fabrics for a new quilt. I changed the colour scheme from the original direction I was going in. I still need to add in some more more fabrics.

Trying New Things Thursday

2012-01-19T11:38:00.003-05:00

A while ago I was talking to someone who knew that I quilted. She is a knitter, and the discussion became whether I knitted as well. I said I did, and mentioned that I had knitted hats, scarfs, mittens, blankets and partially finished sweaters. The one thing I have not tried is socks, so she kindly offered to give me some sock wool and needles so that I could try it.

I am really enjoying it. I am the point where I can start working on the heel and I am looking forward to having it look like a sock. She asked about it the other day when I saw her, and so much like Barb that gave me the encouragement to get back at it. Next week I will have more to show. I am linking to TNT Thursdays at Happy Quilting.

WIP Wednesday

2012-01-18T10:01:00.002-05:00

I started on the sashing last night for my Christmas Rose quilt. I really like it a lot more now that it is coming together.

I have a couple of things I need to finish up before I frantically start working on my guild's show quilt(s). My zigzag quilt is still on my design wall and I think it would be better to get it sewn together rather than take it all down. I also need to get my Christmas project done for January.I can see some early mornings and late nights ahead for me. I am linking to WIP Wedensday at the Needle and Thread and WiP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.

One Thing One Week Challenge : 9

2012-01-17T17:28:00.001-05:00

Here are my completed stars in the second colour way of my Christmas Rose. Now I need to sew the sashing and borders together and it will be complete. Check out what others have done for the One Thing, One Week Challenge.

Sunday Stash

2012-01-15T17:22:00.003-05:00

Every year, my wonderful mother-in-law asks me what I want for Christmas and every year I say a quilting gift certificate. This year, I got an online gift certificate which has already almost been used up. I like using the gift certificates from her to buy the important, but not as much fun stuff (at least for me) of quilting. Usually, I buy some backing but I got some other things this year.

I got the Kona Cotton for a project that I am very excited about. I have seen so much about the Lil' Twister that I was thrilled to get one. I also still feel very much in the Christmas mood with the Winter Twitterings book and the red and green thread.

I am hoping to be able to make time to participate in the Christmas Through the Year being hosted by Darlene of Quilting Daze and Cheryl of Polka Dots & Rick Rack. The idea is to make a Christmas gift each month, or the months you can and by December you have some beautiful gifts ready to give without having to feel the stress of making something at the last minute.

One Thing One Week Challenge : 9

2012-01-10T09:13:00.002-05:00

I have one of the colour ways done for my UFO. I am happy with how it is turning out. I am participating in the One Week, One Thing Challenge this week hosted by Amy in hopes of having the second colour way of stars done by Monday. It will be a busy week this week, with a sweet girl's birthday parties, and I don't want to lose momentum. I also have something else I need to be doing quite soon. While I have been working on it, I have been trying to decide what type of quilt to show for my guild show coming in June. What kinds of quilts do you like to see? I have been thinking about displaying one of my swap quilts, along with one I make. I would love to show how collaborative quilting can be with quilters from so many different countries.

Work in Progress Wednesday

2012-01-04T23:20:00.003-05:00

I have focused on my January UFO even though as I found on working on it, that I have come up with solutions to some of my other quilting dilemmas. It took a lot not to start working on those. I proudly took this picture tonight of my small squares ready to be sewn into rows and become a block.

Only after taking the photo did I realize that I had sewn the middle section backwards and it would no longer be a star. I consulted with one of my quilt gurus; my son and he told me that I should do whatever I was comfortable with and liked. Well I took a deep breathe, and decided since I had only (don't you just love that word) messed up 3 sides of it I would take it out and do it again. To help me keep my focus I decided to get one square done so I could feel I accomplished something.

I am happy that I decided to fix it. I am linking up to WIP Wednesday at The Needle and Thread Network.

2011 Year In Review

2012-01-03T21:17:00.000-05:00

Going through my blog for the past year, I realized I did a lot more than I thought which is a great feeling. I got 8 quilts done, along with some smaller projects as well as getting much further on many of my UFOs. I think I only started a few new quilts which are on my UFO list for this year.

Looking back I found my One Word Challenge - Myself. I think I did well being true to myself this year. I tried out new things (zippers)! and said no to things that would take to much time. I am going to do the challenge again and this year my word is :

BREATHE

I need to remember that there will be things that happen beyond my control, and that I do not need to try to solve everything. Taking a moment for those deep breaths will help a great deal.